9 of the Most Memorable High School Movie Moments Ever

Do you remember these epic teacher-student scenes?

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'Aloha, Mr. Hand.'

Fast Times at Ridgemont High gave us one of the most memorable slacker characters of all time, Jeff Spicoli, played by a very young Sean Penn. After school lets out for the summer, his dedicated teacher Mr. Hand pays Spicoli a visit at home to ensure he's thoroughly grasped that year's history lessons. Spicoli proves that he has, in his own particular way.

Spicoli: What Jefferson was saying was, Hey! You know, we left this England place 'cause it was bogus, so if we don't get some cool rules ourselves—pronto—we'll just be bogus too! Get it?

Mr. Hand does in fact "get it" and gets up to leave.

Spicoli: Aloha, Mr. Hand.

Mr. Hand: Aloha, Spicoli.

'He Makes You Look Like an Ass, Ed.'

Principal Ed Rooney was no match for the genius of Ferris Bueller, a kid who turned truancy into an art form. Rooney was the butt of endless jokes during the film, but his powerlessness against Bueller was probably best exemplified in this short scene with his secretary, Grace.

Rooney: What is so dangerous about a character like Ferris Bueller is he gives good kids bad ideas. The last thing I need at this point in my career is fifteen-hundred Ferris Bueller disciples running around these halls. He jeopardizes my ability to effectively govern this student body.

Grace: Well, he makes you look like an ass, is what he does, Ed.

'Find Your Own Voice'

In Dead Poets Society,Englishteacher John Keating jumps on his desk to encourage his students to look at the world from new viewpoints. As the students take turns standing on the desk, Mr. Keating rallies them: "Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, 'Most men lead quiet lives of desperation.' Don't be resigned to that. Break out!... Dare to strike out and find new ground."

'Raise Your Hand....'

Mean Girls villainRegina George may have terrorized the kids at North Shore High School, but it was Ms. Norbury who brought that to a dramatic end. During an assembly she said her now-famous line—"Raise your hand if you've ever been personally victimized by Regina George"—and everyone, including the teachers present, puts a hand in the air.

'You're Never Going to Forget This Happened....'

In School Ties, after his anti-Semitic classmates discover that he's Jewish, football star David Green is falsely accused of cheating. Eventually absolved of the charges, Green announces that he's not leaving the school.

Dr. Bertram: I'd like to forget this whole thing ever happened.

David Green: No, sir. You're never going to forget this happened, because I'm going to stay here. And every time you see me, you'll remember that it happened. You used me for football. I'll use you to get into Harvard.

(Photo: Tumblr)

'The Only Thing I Ask From You....'

In Stand and Deliver, teacher Jaime Escalante isn't shy about revealing the high standards he has for his kids: "Math is the great equalizer.... When you go for a job, the person giving you that job will not want to hear your problems—ergo, neither do I. You're going to work harder here than you've ever worked anywhere else. And the only thing I ask from you is 'ganas'—desire."

(Photo: YouTube)

'You Are Not Inferior!'

Lean on Me's Principal Joe Clark was a controversial figure, but no one doubted him when he challenged his students to pass an upcoming state exam: "You are not inferior! Your grades may be; your school may have been. But you can turn that around and make liars out of those bastards in exactly one hour when you take that test and pass it and win! So here's what I want you to do. When you find your thoughts wandering, I want you to knuckle back down and concentrate. Concentrate! Remember what's at stake and show them what East Side High's all about—a spirit that will not die!"

(Photo: Tumblr)

'I don't know what your generation's thing is....'

In Easy A,Olive Penderghast subverts vicious high school gossip by taking charge of her new reputation to try to do good, make money, and prove a point. In this scene, her teacher Mr. Griffith expresses some concerns about her mission—and the school's obsession with online social networking.

Olive: Jeez, when did teachers become privy to idle adolescent gossip?

Mr. Griffith: That would be when everyone is putting everything up on Facebook. I don't know what your generation's thing is with documenting your every thought, but I can assure you they're not all diamonds. 'Roman is having an OK day and bought a Coke Zero at the gas station. Raise the roof'? Who gives a rat's ass?

'For Those About to Rock....'

Teacher Dewey Finn was hardly a model of good behavior in School of Rock, but he changed his students' lives forever. Inspiring them to new levels of bravery, he proclaimed, "Let's just give this everything we got. We may fall on our faces, but if we do, we will fall with dignity! With a guitar in our hands and rock in our hearts! And in the words of AC/DC, 'We roll tonight to the guitar bite, and for those about to rock, I salute you.' "

(Photo: Tumblr)

12 Completely Genius Teaching Memes

Because sometimes a meme just says it so much better. These 12 memes do an extra funny job of getting at the teacher experience, so much of which happens behind the scenes—after school, on the weekend, and in the stolen moments between classes. Here we share some of the funniest sentiments of teachers who don't frequently get the glory they deserve.

Link to your favorite education memes in the comments below.

This article was created as part of the social action campaign for the documentary TEACH, produced by TakePart's parent company, Participant Media, in partnership with Bill and Melinda Gates.

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Some of our favorite classroom memories aren't from our own lives; they're from the films we watch—the movies that dramatically capture the great and challenging experiences our teachers offer us.

From the inspiring to the hilarious and painfully awkward, what follows are nine classic scenes between students and teachers that we love to rewind.

This article was created as part of the social action campaign for the documentary TEACH, produced by TakePart's parent company, Participant Media, in partnership with Bill and Melinda Gates.

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TakePart is the digital news and lifestyle magazine from Participant Media, the company behind such acclaimed documentaries as CITIZENFOUR, An Inconvenient Truth, and Food, Inc. and feature films including Lincoln and Spotlight.